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and cider-braised collards OR Carolina shrimp and crab cake with shaved winter squash soffrito and espelette aioli OR masa and porcini mushroom gnocchi with broccoli raab, roasted tomatoes, charred onions and toasted chèvre; and for dessert, either chocolate panna cotta with North Carolina pecan graham streusel and brûléed marshmallow OR olive oil cake with buttermilk ice cream and North Carolina strawberry preserves. To make a reservation, send an email to

still has 25 seats available for New Year’s Eve. They are offering a seating from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for $45 and a second seating from 9-11 p.m. for $60. The three-course dinner includes these options: sauteed rock shrimp over truffled risotto, lobster bisque or beef carpaccio for an appetizer; grilled lamb chops, surf and turf (filet mignon and lobster) or pan-seared sea scallops for an entree, and a dessert trio of chocolate truffle cake, red velvet cheesecake and raspberry mousse. To make a reservation, call 919-377-0509.

had so much fun last year when New Year’s fell on its weekly taco night that it’s offering a special taco menu again this year. As they wrote in their newsletter: “We thought we’d like to make Dos Perros the place to go if you wanted something a little special at New Years, but didn’t want to commit to a multi-course prix fixe.” See the menu at

. If you don’t make it out on Dec. 31, the special menu will continue until Jan. 4. For a reservation, call 919-956-2750.

• On the other end of the spectrum, the N.C. Museum of Natural Science is hosting a black-tie-optional New Year’s gala 8 p.m-2 a.m. at the downtown Raleigh museum. Rocky Top Hospitality, which manages The Daily Planet Cafe at the museum, will serve up the feast (appetizers, desserts, open bar) with food stations on every floor of the museum. Tickets with taxes and tip cost $125. For reservations: 919-707-8060 or

is offering a four-course meal for $68 per person. Among the many options, you could enjoy: crispy local pork belly (five-spice, pickled radishes, chicharrón); smoked N.C. sturgeon with warm miso-sake butter, baby bok choy, Edwards country ham, shiitake mushrooms and black sticky rice; and for dessert, hot chocolate cake with local pecan brittle ice cream. To see the complete menu, go to

in North Raleigh is serving up its annual New Year’s Eve Bash. A first seating from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for a three-course meal costs $69 per person. A second seating from 8:30-9:30 p.m. costs $99 per person. The later seating includes the three-course meal, party favors, champagne toast and live music by The Encore Band. To see the menu, go to

is offering a four-course meal for $50. There are many choices on the menu but this is a meal you could enjoy: tuna carpaccio with fresh wasabi vinaigrette, roasted beets and pea sprout salad; tempura prawns and crispy daikon cake with Sichuan black bean sauce; grilled fillet mignon with star anise jus and sweet potato puree; and for dessert, pineapple-coconut beignets with vanilla-bourbon ice cream and black vinegar caramel. To see the entire menu, go to

in Cary will be offering its regular menu plus a prix fixe menu. It costs $85 per person and an additioanl $35 with the wine pairings. Here’s is the menu: a salmon tartare canape with kabocha, shiso and burdock root; pumpkin-coconut soup with lobster, granola, pumpkin seeds and coconut essence; miso sea bass with braised kale, honshimeji mushrooms and a maple-mushroom broth; beef filet with a seven-spice rub, shallot jam and a red wine-bacon jus; and for dessert, bittersweet chocolate cake, kabocha and peanut butter-sorghum. For a reservation, call 919-677-9229.

restaurant has a special menu for New Year’s Eve. There are many choices including: oysters on the half shell, roasted lobster with buttered popcorn grits, grilled Berkshire pork chop with country ham braised collards, piquillo relish and maple yogurt, and for dessert, rum and golden raisin bread pudding. To see the entire menu, go to

has two options on New Year’s Eve. From 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m. will be the “New Year’s Jazzin’ EVE: An Enchanted Evening of Dinner and Dancing.” The event costs $135 and includes a four-course meal, a champagne toast at midnight and entertainment by jazz singer Eve Cornelious and the Chip Crawford Trio. For reservations, go to